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provided themselves with such as they could procure at their own cost. Never people answered better to the appeal of their prince. James had the love and enthusiasm of his subjects; but he knew not how to use this royal and invaluable treasure, more precious than gold or silver. He put its temper to many a severe test, and it stood them all; but finally he threw it away with the miserable levity of incapacity.

The fidelity of the Irish to their feeble king stood the test of William's arms, and the far severer ordeal of his offers and intrigues. William, though a cold man, was an artful intriguer, and the more able and artful, perhaps, because he was cold.

He had offered the Catholics, through Hamilton, the same terms which they afterwards accepted at Limerick: "The political privileges, and the private property enjoyed under Charles II., or at any time during his reign, to be secured to them." From the time of William's accession to the crown of England they never looked for more than this.

These terms were now offered again through several agents after the battle of the Boyne, and they were again rejected. The Irish were at length sensible that James was utterly unworthy of their attachment; but they could not yet resolve to cast him off for ever. There was no

the hearts of the people turned slowly and reluc tantly from him. Grief and astonishment at his conduct had seized upon the nation; they saddened at his unjust and unmanly reproaches, and his woeful and melancholy cowardice. Yet though they had not deserted him quite, they were rejoiced that he was gone. They saw that his presence in Ireland was most injurious to his own cause and theirs; and that the battle for his crown could only be fought with any hope of success in his absence.

Timidity and vacillation in so high a quarter would not fail to be seen, and to be contagious. His interference always did mischief, and he could not be restrained from interfering, for he was a meddler by nature. When it was known that James was gone, universal joy diffused itself among the army and the people. New hopes sprang up in the heart of the country, and the universal voice was for war. The army had shaken off any apprehension which might have been derived from the fame of William's foreign troops, and they longed for another opportunity of meeting this host of strangers in the field. Whatever of doubt remained on the mind of the troops or its generals, was connected with William himself; all shadow of apprehension was gone which his soldiers might have inspired. Change generals," was the universal cry of the Irish; "change generals, and we will fight the battle

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over again." The object now was to protract the war, and postpone a decisive engagement till William should be forced by the necessities of his government to return to England.

If, after the favourable terms which William now offered, the war was still continued, it was partly owing to the powerful influence of France; partly to the fear, which at that time prevailed in the country, that the terms would not be observed; partly to the terrors of the act of settlement, which hung over the newlyrestored proprietors, and to the influence of a party (though not a considerable one), whose views could only be satisfied with the establishment of an independent government in their country. All these had their weight, and acted in union with the lingering attachment to James, which still struggled in the bosoms of the people, to prevent that accommodation which would at this period have been so desirable.

The Irish had now the advantage of James's absence. Their army was fully equal to cope with William's. They had the whole population on their side; a great force of irregular troops; and one of the most defensible countries in the world. They had all the great fortresses of the kingdom in their hands. On a rational calculation, there could be little doubt

establishment of an independent government in Ireland.

That this was not accomplished was owing not to the want of means, for these were adequate and abundant, but to the levity of France, which preserved to her rival the integrity of that power which was so soon and so repeatedly to shake her empire to its foundations.

The Irish army at the Boyne, including the French auxiliaries and troops of all kinds, did not exceed from twenty-five to twenty-six thousand men; the army under William according to their own returns, exceeded thirty-three thousand.

THE

CHAP. VII.

HE day succeeding the battle, William encamped about a mile from the field of the Boyne, and detached a division of his army to invest Drogheda. This detachment was commanded by La Milliniere, a French officer, and consisted of about fifteen hundred men and eight pieces of cannon. When the Frenchman summoned Drogheda, the governor returned an answer of defiance. He was then furnished with a false and exaggerated account of the battle of the Boyne, and the subsequent movements of the Irish army; and La Milliniere added, that if the town was not surrendered without delay, he would put the garrison and inhabitants to the sword as soon as it should fall into his hands. The memory of Cromwell's barbarities was still fresh in the minds of the inhabitants, and they clamoured for a surrender. The governor capitulated, on condition of being permitted to withdraw with arms and baggage to Athlone. We cannot believe that William would imitate

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